WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina senator's bill that called for the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide health care to veterans and their relatives who were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune is dead.

Republican Sen. Richard Burr's bill failed on a 9-5 vote of the Veterans Affairs Committee on Thursday. The proposed law would have granted care at a VA facility to any veteran or family member who suffered adverse health effects from toxic water.

Democrats on the committee did pass an alternative to Burr's bill, which would require the Department of Defense to provide care for five years.

5 Years? Gee Thanks.

Other news regarding this decision-

Senate Considers Bill for Environmental Hazard ExposuresCamp Lejeune veterans and family members are automatically covered under the TRICARE program. Veterans and dependents of other bases must await the decision of an Advisory Board. No provision is made for civilian workers injured from exposure to environmental hazards.

Yes some are already covered, however, those who are no longer considered a dependant of a veteran or who are not married to a military veteran, do not have the same advantages of those who are. These are the people, along with the civilians who worked at Lejeune for which we fight for care. The VA is fighting tooth and nail (jump through this hoop) not to cover or care for those vets who have been effected by this but do not receive retirement benefits and in most cases disabilty since leaving service before qualifying years of duty for retirement.You people so disappoint us.